Motivation and Employee Satisfaction: Perceptions of Workers in Public and Private Health Care Facilities

Abstract

The study investigated the perceptions and experiences of workers on motivation and employee satisfaction in Manhyia District Hospital and Quality Health Care Hospital, which represented public and private health care facilities respectively. The study was ‘quantitative descriptive’ in nature. Through cluster and stratified sampling techniques, data were collected by means of a questionnaire from eighty three (83) respondents; fifty four (54) from Manhyia District Hospital and twenty nine (29) from Quality Health Care Hospital. The findings suggest that majority of the respondents, both in the public and private hospitals agree that motivation leads to employee satisfaction. The study reveals that money is the first thing that comes into mind when motivation is mentioned. Furthermore, it was apparent from the study that public and private hospitals employ various but similar motivational factors to encourage their workers to work harder. They include allowances, recognition, training and good working relationship with staff. With regard to motivational factors that encourage workers to perform well, money was most preferred. Although respondents from both sectors disagreed that their salaries were enough to meet their needs, the study reveals that workers still find satisfaction with their job, thus confirming Herzberg’s assertion that salary is a hygiene factor. It is recommended that the nonmonetary factors such as training, recognition, promotion, et cetera, should be utilised more frequently as this may even reduce workers consideration of ‘money’ as a major motivational factor. Also, since most of the respondents confirmed that they get the opportunity to learn new skills through training programmes and workshops, it is recommended that more of these programmes should be made available to all workers irrespective of the position they occupy, so as to help them upgrade their skills.